Help! My Child is Overweight

Working with a child to lose weight can be a real challenge. As parents, it can be easy to give advice, but infinitely harder to get the child to buy-in for real change. We may even take the blame (of our child's weight) off ourselves by saying, "Well, if they moved more..." or "It's just hereditary." Though those things may be true, these statements rarely lead to weight loss and long term results of better eating and/or a better weight for your child. But, there are things you can do that will really help, that have absolutely nothing to do with eating.

First, this is not about getting a child from a healthy weight to a thinner, unhealthy image. If you are wondering if your child is overweight, check out the following link, which will guide you through a few easy questions (for free) and reveal solid medical insight on what a healthy weight for your child is:

http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/growthcharts2/l/bl_ibw_calc.htm

Once you have determined that your child may need your help, here are 5 great things you can do that will encourage them and help them stay-the-course to a healthier them!

1. Don't Expect them to Do It Alone

Losing weight is hard and difficult tasks are rarely accomplished independently. Specifically, a child may struggle with a daunting, self-disciplined task all alone because they have never done it before, or feel isolated to begin with. A parent who resists creating healthy habits in a house where they aren't being practiced will probably lead to prolonged results with the child, or the problem worsening. If you want results with your child, go the road with them. Do exactly what you ask them to do.

2. Create Energy around Your Goal

A good attitude goes a very long way. As a parent, you are the coach! What kind of coach will you be? Stay positive about the plan day to day. You could create a countdown chart and have them design it. Create daily goals with diet and exercise and aim for weekly goals. Discuss often what they are looking forward to by being a healthy weight. Keep your eyes on the goal!

3. Acknowledge the Smallest Victory

Every pound shed deserves a pat on the back and 5 pounds lost deserves more! Items or activities that encourage a positive self-image help keep the focus on self-pride. A new shirt to wear to school, a manicure, or a new haircut are all simple things and can encourage reinventing the "new" them and maintain momentum you've never had.

4. Education

When you go grocery shopping, or when you cook, engage your child in the choices. Let the child select things they like to eat, within your diet plan. Use shopping to increase thier awareness of good choices vs. choices that won't move them toward the goal. When you cook, teach them to go online for recipes to make simple dishes more appealing. Above all, talk about it as a family with enthusiasm. Research positive choices and encouraging information. You never know what factoid will "click" with your child and inspire change that is deep rooted.

5. Get Real about Exercise

Children, who are overweight, may find many physical activities very challenging. Start simple when the child's weight is at a high. The goal is to get into a habit of movement, not make the child slam into extreme exercise. Day to day walk further, faster and add more movement to the plan. As the child sheds pounds, a wider variety of activities will become more viable and less dreaded.

Also, whatever you ask the child to do, do it with them. See this time as the quality time your child needs to feel as valued as they should. Make them a priority with your time. Their confidence will soar not just because of the way they look, but because they have gained a partner that believes in them enough to go the road with them.